A Roll of the Dice
by Random Thoughts
Summary: Inu-Yasha, Kagome and Co. meet a demon who can make others' dearest dream-or worst nightmare-come true. Eventual InuKag, some MirSan


Disclaimer: I would LOVE to own Inu-Yasha. If I did I would be so HAPPY. But I don't own it. Oh well. I'll have to content myself with a lowercase 'happy'.  
  
A/N: Okay, before this starts, I would like to say that I have only seen Inu-Yasha up to the episode 'Tetsusaiga Breaks' (darn). So, if this fic doesn't fit with the later plot, that's why. I'm not sure when this takes place; just whenever. Oh, also, I wanted to ask, does anyone know where I could get a copy of the Inu-Yasha movies? I know the first one's supposed to come out this year in America, but I need them all NOW, dubbed or not. Well, maybe not NEED, per se, but really, really, really really want. So if anyone knows any companies that carry those, I would like to know about them. So, now I'll really start the story! Please leave a review!  
  
"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome cried. "I can sense a jewel shard!"  
  
The half-demon glanced at her. "I thought you said this thing I was fighting didn't have a shard! If your jewel-sensing abilities aren't working anymore, you shouldn't be here!"  
  
Kagome glared at him. "Of course they're still working, you idiot! I don't mean in that thing, I mean somewhere else close by!"  
  
Before replying, Inu-Yasha ripped the dragon-like demon he'd been fighting into pieces. "Heh," he said with satisfaction. "These claws have still got it."  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes. "If you had just used Tetsusaiga, you could have killed it a lot faster, and saved us time, you know." "She's right," Shippo piped up.  
  
"Did I ASK you?" the hanyou shouted, whacking the young demon against a tree.  
  
"Kagome, where is the jewel shard you mentioned?" interrupted Miroku.  
  
"That way," Kagome said, pointing. "It's pretty close, I think, and moving closer."  
  
Inu-Yasha grinned. "Then let's just wait for it to come to us. If it thinks it'll have an easy time with us-" he cracked his knuckles. "it'll be in for quite a surprise."  
  
"We shouldn't be too cocky either," Miroku warned him.  
  
Inu-Yasha looked at him in disgust. "Are you saying you think I could LOSE?"  
  
"He's just saying to be CAREFUL," Kagome said with annoyance. "Sometimes you rush into things and you end up getting hurt!"  
  
"So you think I'm weak?" he shot back. "Didn't you see how I just-"  
  
"Quiet," Sango warned. "I hear something."  
  
"Boy," said Shippo, "she heard it before you, Inu-Yasha? Your ears must not be working very well."  
  
"Listen, kid!" he yelled. "My ears are way better than anyone's, including yours!"  
  
Then Kagome gasped. Inu-Yasha quickly whirled around to see a woman who looked middle aged, just walking into the clearing. She didn't seem to have any weapons, or any possessions at all, aside from clothing.  
  
"So, you're the one with a jewel shard, huh," Inu-Yasha said. "How about you just give it to us, so I don't have to kill you, demon?"  
  
"Certainly," the woman said, pulling something out of her pocket.  
  
"Careful!" said Miroku. "She could have some sort of weapon!" Sango nodded and took aim with her boomerang bone, while Kirara stood ready.  
  
"No," said Kagome, looking surprised. "That's the jewel shard, all right."  
  
"Feh," Inu-Yasha commented. "I don't trust you, demon. Why would you give this up?"  
  
"It's simple. I don't want my powers magnified by this thing," she told him, smiling. "I don't need it. It will only cause me trouble, after all."  
  
There was silence for a moment as they all stared at her. "What is it you want from us, then?" Inu-Yasha demanded. "Surely you wouldn't just give that jewel shard away for nothing."  
  
"If I could stay in your camp where it is safe for tonight-" she began, but he cut her off. "No! I don't trust you. You could be planning to murder us in our sleep!"  
  
"All right," said the woman. "I'll just give you this shard and go, then." She tossed it lightly so it landed at Inu-Yasha'a feet, and began to walk away.  
  
"Inu-Yasha," Kagome said slowly. "Maybe we should-"  
  
"No way!" he told her, frowning. Sango added, "She could have abilities we don't know about, Kagome. She's undoubtedly more powerful than she looks."  
  
"Just listen, you guys!" Kagome said impatiently. "I mean, if we don't know what she can do, wouldn't it be better if we knew where she was, instead of having her out who-knows-where?"  
  
Sango looked thoughtful. "That's a good idea, Kagome, as long as one of us keeps watch all night."  
  
"I'll watch that demon," Inu-Yasha announced, glancing at Kagome as though daring her to comment. "She's probably not THAT powerful, anyway."  
  
'Anything to avoid saying I had a good idea,' Kagome sighed to herself. 'Oh well.'  
  
"Excuse me," said the woman, who had stopped walking when they had started debating. "I'll tell you what all my powers are, if you're allowing me to stay."  
  
"I believe we are," said Miroku, who seemed undecided as to whether she was too old for him. "At least that's what it sounds like. My friends are prone to changing their minds frequently," he continued, looking pointedly at Inu- Yasha. The hanyou muttered something under his breath.  
  
Ten minutes later they were all sitting down. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and the demon were around a small fire. Inu-Yasha was in a tree behind Kagome, watching the strange woman carefully.  
  
"My name is Yukiko," the youkai woman told them. She rummaged in her pocket once more, and brought out two small objects. "All of my demon powers reside in these dice."  
  
"Oh really," said Inu-Yasha, sounding bored. "Pretty dumb to put your powers in dice, if you ask me."  
  
"Dice?" Kagome was confused. "How can your powers be in those dice?"  
  
Before Yukiko could explain, Inu-Yasha said, "Sometimes demons put their powers into certain items, and then the only way they can use the powers is if they have access to the items. It's a stupid thing to do."  
  
"That's not exactly it," Sango suddenly explained. "I've encountered a demon of this type before. Usually, it wasn't their fault that their powers were placed in an item. Sometimes very experienced demon hunters do it if they can't kill a particular demon. And there are also some demon clans who make a ritual of it, I've heard."  
  
Yukiko was nodding. "Yes, that is what happened to me. My family have always used items to hold their powers. It is a tradition among us that when a baby is born, it is presented with five items: one chosen by the mother, one from the father, one from any siblings, and two that are randomly selected. Whichever item the baby's hand goes to first is the one in which the demon powers are placed."  
  
"So the item you reached to was a pair of dice," said Kagome, understanding.  
  
"Exactly," Yukiko agreed.  
  
"So what do they do?" asked Miroku. "Your powers, I mean."  
  
"Ah," said Yukiko, smiling sadly. "My dice are very dangerous. They can make dreams come true, you see."  
  
"Dreams?" asked Kagome, wide-eyed. "How can they do that?"  
  
"If someone asks me to roll them, either their worst nightmare or their dearest dream will be revealed," said Yukiko. "If I roll odds, it is the nightmare. If I roll evens, it is the dream."  
  
'Dearest dream?' thought Kagome, glancing towards Inu-Yasha. 'That could be as dangerous as a nightmare in some cases!'  
  
All of a sudden, Inu-Yasha declared, "Then you'll roll those dice for me, demon!" Kagome jumped, startled.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, no!" Miroku said. "That's not a good idea. If your worst nightmare came true-"  
  
"I've dealt with worse odds than these," Inu-Yasha said confidently. "At least I've got an even chance! I mean, this whole quest could be finished, right now! Isn't it worth it?"  
  
"No, I should have her roll the dice for me," Miroku stated. "At least the worst that would happen would be that my Wind Tunnel would devour me." He shuddered a bit.  
  
"No, Miroku!" Sango objected. "My worst nightmare has already come true! My village gone; my brother, used by Naraku. If anyone takes this chance, it should be me."  
  
Kagome was silent. 'As much as I want to defeat Naraku and recover the jewel,' she thought, 'I don't think any of us should use those dice.'  
  
"Hey," said Inu-Yasha. "I'm the only one who'll do anything! There's no way I'll let any of you roll those! I mean, none of you want the Shikon Jewel as much as I do! Your dearest dreams probably don't even involve the jewel. If any of you try to get her to roll those for you, you're dead!" He looked about menacingly, pausing for a second when his eyes reached Kagome.  
  
"Excuse me," said Yukiko. "Huh?" said everyone else. "I have not yet warned you of the full dangers of my power," she explained. "You must know-"  
  
"Just roll the dice!" Inu-Yasha commanded. "Anyone'll tell you, I hate waiting!"  
  
"True," Kagome admitted. "But, Inu-Yasha, please reconsider!"  
  
"I can't, Kagome," he told her, meeting her gaze. "We could win it all, right now! I can't let this chance go by!" He turned to Yukiko. "Roll your dice, demon!"  
  
"Fine," Yukiko murmured. "If you're sure." She started to let the dice fall.  
  
A/N: Okay, that was the first chapter! Please leave a review if you'd like to see the next one!! 


End file.
